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Shelter warns of Christmas homelessness crisis

There will be over 57,000 children homeless on Christmas Day in London, the housing and homelessness charity Shelter has warned.

That is enough to fill 254 primary schools in the region.

Shelter is highlighting the figures to launch its new campaign to raise awareness of the plight of homeless families in the area this Christmas, whose numbers have increased steadily over recent months.

Seventeen out of the 29 London boroughs that supplied data will each have more than 1,000 homeless children living in temporary accommodation.

Of particular concern is the increase in families forced to live in B&Bs in London, which has almost doubled in the last year.

For homeless families, living in a B&B means parents and children living together in one room, with limited access to cooking or laundry facilities and often in appalling conditions.

This year the figures suggest that in London more than 1,500 children will be spending Christmas Day living in this way.

Last December, Shelter's helpline and local advice services like those in Ealing, Islington, Newham and Fulham helped more than 1,000 people at risk of becoming homeless over the festive period.

This December the charity is expecting even greater numbers of people who have nowhere else to turn to contact them for help.

Shelter is calling on people to support its vital work in helping families when the worst has happened.

It's easy to think of homelessness as single people sleeping rough. What people don't often consider is the rising numbers of families who, through no fault of their own, have lost their home and have no permanent roof over their heads.

For people with children, sofa surfing with friends and family often just isn't a realistic option.

The rise in homelessness over the last year means there is a lot of pressure on local authorities in the region, who will be using all the options they can to get a roof over the heads of homeless families.

The main triggers for homelessness include relationship breakdowns, job losses, and landlords ending renters tenancies.

No child should be homeless in London this Christmas. Every December, Shelters helpline and advice services deal with thousands of people at risk of losing their home.

We need everyone's support in the coming months so our advisers can help prevent families from becoming homeless, and if the worst happens, and help them into a home if they do.

– Campbell Robb, Chief Executive of Shelter

The number of homeless families in London in Temporary Accommodation has increased by 9% over the last year, from 27316 in June 2011 to 29,653 in June 2012

There were 1,016 families in B&B in London in June 2012, in comparison to 534 families in B&B in 2011.

Children in Temporary Accommodation in London boroughs at the end of June 2012: